


How to choose your GE

by Eric_Charles



Category: The Social Network (2010)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:55:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24818704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eric_Charles/pseuds/Eric_Charles
Summary: This was originally designed to be a serious discussion about the justification of suicide under certain circumstances, then it just became something else at the end of the story. Couldn’t control my fingers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Relationships: Eduardo Saverin/Mark Zuckerberg
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	How to choose your GE

**Author's Note:**

> Mark and Eduardo are both Jewish, however, Mark once declared himself an atheist, though just in 2016 he contended himself by saying “now I believe religion is important”. 
> 
> I am currently reading a book called , and that’s how I ended up writing this piece. (how the hell is this a reason? I don’t know lol. It just sounds fun to me, discussing their points of view on this topic due to their different background and thinking style.)
> 
> *All the things about courses are made up base on needs for plot development, except the name of that economic course is copied from Harvard website

“Do you think one could suicide if it’s staying alive becomes a suffer?”

“Well, for one thing, the Bible forbids killing.” Eduardo refrains from reading his _Macroeconomics_ , looks up at Mark, who is still typing speedily on his keyboard. “Why?”

“GE essay, and I’m interested in what do you say.” Mark swivels in his chair to face Eduardo.

“And why would staying alive become a suffer? Also, are you asking my point of view or what I would do?” Eduardo puts his book aside, fitting himself into a more comfortable position on the bed. 

“Both, is there a difference?” Mark throws the question back. 

“Since having the right to do something doesn’t mean you're going to do it.” Eduardo replies.

“Alright then. Suppose you’re bedridden for cancer. It’s too late for a cure, but treatment could prolong your miserable lifespan. You know, like chemotherapy. What would you say?” Mark quickly presumed a condition, and repeated his question. 

“I’d probably try to live. There’s always a hope if I don’t give up.” Eduardo gazes at the wall, pondering. “They’ve just finished human genome sequencing last year. So, if I struggle for a longer time, I might grab a chance in some successful experimental trials.” He adds with an optimistic tone. Discussing the possibility of such a despondent situation doesn’t seem to upset him. 

“That’s very positive of you. I wouldn’t have.” Marks sounds genuinely surprised. 

“Because it’s not cool?” Eduardo asks, half teasing. 

“Yes. How could one possibly entertain himself when being confined to the bed all-day long, having to rely on someone else for self-care? Plus, there would doubtlessly be pipes spreading all over the body and hair loss.” Mark curls his lips, making a loathing face. Eduardo can’t help but grins.

“Besides, my family wouldn’t just stand by if I decide to give up my treatment.” Eduardo shrugs his shoulders, determining he should come back to the opening theme. “I doubt if it’s really up to me, when that moment comes. So, back to your original question, whether suicide should be justified?”

“Yep.” Mark watches him with an anticipating look. 

“I’d still say no. You don’t have the right to terminate a life, not even your own. The sixth Commandment said _you shall not kill_ , and suicide is also a type of killing. Plus, life itself is of intrinsic value, hence destroying it is morally wrong, so I believe that under no circumstances is suicide justified.” Eduardo pondered for a second, and gives his answer. 

“Why would you consider life of intrinsic value? Human is simply a random specie lucky enough to evolve a useful brain and build up its own culture. There is no difference between our life and the life of a mosquito, from an objective point of view. If you think human life has intrinsic value, then so does the life of a mosquito. And how many of them have you killed this week?” Mark contends, spinning his dart flexibly by his right hand. 

“Mankind is different, the life given by God is sacred, and that’s where the intrinsic value arises.” Mark looks like he’s got something to say, but Eduardo stopped him. “Hang on, I know what you are going to say. You have declared yourself an atheist back in high school. So, I get it if you won’t agree with me. Oh, you certainly wouldn’t.” 

“Alright, alright.” Mark murmurs, agreeing to let go of this argument. It’s not like they haven’t done it before. Neither of them ended up convinced by another. They know exactly where this is leading to. 

Mark would claim that he decided to be an atheist because the logic doesn’t add up. He would then explicate that judgement by the famous omnipotent paradox: _Can God lift a stone larger than he can carry?_ Then Eduardo would smile tolerantly, asserting the point that the _God is almighty_ statement is a concept, hence there is no point in arguing those logical paradoxes, because God is higher than that and it doesn’t really matter. 

Mark has also used the example of AI. He affirms that one day programmers will have successfully created an AI that could pass the Turning Test, and showing no difference to human. Biologists could have made him a body 100% resembling _homo sapiens_. Then human would have created another humankind, again defeating the point of God creates humans. As for the response, Eduardo just granted him a smirk, stating that this is why he hardly believes there could be a real AI.

After that discourse, they decided to leave it aside since, they couldn’t get to an agreement, and there are more cool things in college than arguing on something like this. Even discussion on how to get laid is more meaningful in a sense. 

“So, let me hear your reasoning. How would you justify suicide?” Eduardo questions, fixing his eyes on Mark’s. 

“Principle of autonomy. My life is mine and mine alone. I get to decide how to deal with it alongside with its consequences. Before being identified as part of society, I am an independent individual.” Mark made a last round of spinning with his dart, then got it a landing point in the outer bullseye of the dartboard. 

“But how are you going to develop your three arguments? I mean, I don’t really see how this could be analyzed from three different perspectives or something.” Eduardo seems to just recall that they were discussing it because it’s an essay assignment. 

“No. That will be my first argument, and the strongest. I’d love to write only that one, but the idiot assessment criteria require three. If you ask me, I’d say it’s completely unnecessary.” Mark complains with his poker face. “But I’ve already lost my participation, so I need to comply the structure requirement of this essay to get myself a pass. Remind me again, Wardo, why did I choose this GE? I should have just picked the _Brain and Music_ , at least that one doesn’t count attendance!”

Eduardo, on the other hand, is trying not to let himself laugh out loud here. That would do absolutely no comfort at all. Mark has criticized the course all the way from its teaching style to the readings it requires, in a detailed and organized manner that could fit directly into a five-paragraph essay with an A+ for its organization and content, when he first attended the lecture – his first, not the course’s first, which, by the time, has already past the A&D period. He knows that the curly boy isn’t really looking for an answer, but he gives one in response anyway. Mark just doesn’t know how cute he looks at this very moment. And Eduardo is definitely not going to remind him of that. 

“Cuz it’s got the minimum workload of all the GEs?”

Eduardo teases Mark with the exact reason Mark gave when he added that course. In fact, Mark has also recommended Eduardo to take that course together, but unfortunately it crashed with Eduardo’s _Economics of International Financial Policy_. He has actually felt pity for it at the time, not being able to be classmate with Mark. However, judging from the feedback now, he’s glad that it stopped him from falling into the same dilemma.

“Stop laughing, Wardo. You are going to wake up the whole Kirkland house.” Mark protests. 

“That premises on them all being asleep.” Eduardo deadpans. “And it’s only 1 o’clock yet. QED, I am not going to wake up the whole Kirkland house.”

“Damn. it’s 1 already? I have to have a hard copy by 9 when the class starts!” Mark murmurs a curse, swivels back to his computer. 

“Looks like someone got to hurry up a bit. No worry, you’ve still got 8 hours. One-third of a day!” Eduardo makes a comfort that doesn’t sound so comforting. He decides that he doesn’t want to go back Elliot tonight, friends should always be there to support each other, yep, even a sleeping one. He lies down on Mark’s bed, and rests in Mark’s relentless keyboard-typing sound.

**Author's Note:**

> What? The other roommates? Chris and Billy and Dustin? I don’t know, ask them, maybe they at a party or club or something :)


End file.
